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Do I need to
be present at the edit?
We like to work closely with the actor so
recommend clients are present. It is not essential
though. We have edited many reels where an actors work
schedule means it is impossible for them to be present.
In these circumstances we liaise with both the actor and
their agent, discuss what is required, produce the reel,
then stream it online so that it can be proofed at each
stage of the process.
How long
should my showreel be?
Between 2 and 3 minutes if possible. We have good links with
a number of respected casting directors and agents and
they simply don't want any more. A showreel is not an
archive of your work; its purpose is not to include a
little bit of everything you have done. You need to be
thinking about what sells you at your best.
Have I got
enough footage?
Almost certainly. We have edited many reels for actors
with a limited amount of footage. You will be surprised
how far it can go. As for footage you are not sure
about, we will not use work that doesn't sell you well,
however don't rule out footage that you currently think
is unusable - it's surprising what a bit of good editing
can do.
I have so
much footage - where do I start?
This
can be daunting but don't worry. We have edited for
television and film regulars that have amassed a massive
amount of potential footage and we are more than happy
to offer advice on how to go about deciding what to use.
To montage or not to
montage...
When we talk to agents, casting directors and
directors they regularly have different opinions on
whether or not an actor should have a montage, although
the majority in the UK casting directors prefer a showreel without
a montage. However we have known people from the same office to
disagree about this topic! The fact
remains though, everyone who watches your reel wants to
see you acting. A good acting scene should always be
prioritised. If a montage is right for you, it needs to
be short, energetic and offer an overview of your
casting bracket in just a few seconds. It needs to tell
us something we did not learn from watching the scenes
alone. We would
recommend putting this at the end using only previously
unused shots. If you are are in any doubt chat it
through with us... it has to be done well and for the
right reasons - there is no point in annoying a casting
professional as soon as they have pressed play!
I have
footage on both PAL and NTSC. Does
this matter?
No, not at all. We can edit from both PAL and NTSC
DVDs.
Err, what's
is the difference between the two?
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is the colour encoding
conversion standard that is used in much of Europe,
Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East for
television, video and DVD playback. It was invented in
the 1960's. PAL uses a screen resolution of 720 x 576
pixels and has a refresh rate of 25 frames per second.
In comparison NTSC (used primarily in North and South
America and Japan) uses a lower resolution of 720 x 480
pixels, but a higher refresh rate of 30 frames per
second. So PAL has a better picture quality than NTSC,
but NTSC has smoother pictures.
Can you produce DVDs that are compatible
to play in other countries?
Yes.
In the
UK DVDs are burnt using PAL. Although many other
countries use PAL if you want your DVD's to be
compatible in the USA and some other countries you will
need to let us know so that we can burn them in NTSC.
Can I have a version to put on online?
Yes. We can convert your showreel into many different
digital formats. Please note that different actor
promotion websites ask for different formats so be sure
to tell us who it is for. Some of the common requests
are listed below:
Spotlight:
We will email your showreel directly to Spotlight.
All you need to do is fill in the spotlight interactive forms (download
here),
fill in the relevant showreel sections and send it
in to Spotlight with payment of £31.
CastNet:
CastNet states: "Actors with a showreel on the
CastNet website receive, on average, four times as
many casting invitations as those actors without a
showreel!" For £5 we can send you exactly what
you need to get your showreel uploaded. Alternatively, if you provide them with your
Spotlight viewing pin, CastNet can also now display
your showreel directly from Spotlight.
Casting Call Pro:
Casting Call Pro states: "Research suggests that
members with a showreel are viewed three times more
often than members without a showreel." We can
convert your showreel to the correct format and
upload it for you to CCP free of charge. They will
then send you an email as soon as the film is live.
Do you shoot showreels from scratch?
No.
Where are you based?
Showreel editing is based at High House Production Park,
Purfleet-on-Thames.
Click here for more info.
I already
have a showreel, can you duplicate it?
If you already have a showreel that you are happy with
we can transfer your reel ready for duplication with us
for just £5. All duplications come with free packaging
and art work is printed directly onto the surface of the
DVD and proofed by you before we process the order.
There is no set up fee for design and no other hidden
charges. Postage costs can be found toward the bottom of
this page.
What DVDs
do you use?
We always use Grade A DVD-R discs for DVD production.
What does
DVD-R mean?
DVD-R discs are recordable DVD media that can be written
to only once. The discs can be written in standard DVD
writer drives. The DVD-R format was developed by Pioneer
in 1997 and is the most commonly used type of writable
DVD (other types include DVD+R and the re-writable DVD-RW/DVD+RW).
Is a duplicated DVD lower
quality?
If we are copying a CD or DVD for you, we will make an
exact digital copy. There will be no reduction in
quality, unlike copying analogue video, e.g. VHS tapes.
A digital copy replicates the data exactly; copying the
digital information, thus making a perfect replica of
the source disc.
How long do
duplicates take?
Our duplication service is very efficient - we normally
get your order out within 48 hours. If however you need
a priority same-day service let us know and we will do
all we can to help. The service is not always available
and a £10 priority charge applies.
How easy is
it to get my showreel updated?
Because we archive your showreel updating it is very
easy. This saves you both time and money.
Can I use
music on my showreel?
Yes.
The most common way of incorporating music is as part of
a montage. Music is provided by the client.
What
happens if I change my agent or contact details?
Simply call and let us know and we will update your footage, artwork
and any webpages we produced for you. The next time you order
duplicates they will be fully up-to-date.
Do you
recycle DVDs and CDs?
Yes. Any discs that are wasted during production are
sent off to our friends at Polymer Recycling be turned
into other beautiful things. They use patented
technology that allows 100% of the disc to be recycled
without the use of chemicals. They have prevented well
over 100m discs from ending up on land-fill. They have
also been approved by FACT (Federation Against Copyright
and Theft) to have attained the required security
standards. Since their inception they have demonstrated
an exemplary track record in security.
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